Machine for washing, dry cleaning, or garment dyeing



Jan. 29, 1952 WALKER 2,584,070

MACHINE FOR WASHING, DRY CLEANING, OR GARMENT DYEING Filed March 24, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. fl I A a ral/r Wat/A ar T. B. WALKER Jan. 29, 1952 MACHINE FOR WASHING, DRY CLEANING, OR GARMENT DYEING 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 24, 1949 FIG. 2.

. INVENTOR. fld/nn: Brad/z Mt/lf't/ BY Jan. 29, 1952 T. B. WALKER 2,584,070

MACHINE FOR WASHING, DRY CLEANING, OR GARMENT DYEING Filed March 24, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. fin/2 5 Brad/ Mz/k: 1

@244! r- IMM- Patented Jan. 29, 1952 MACHINE FOR WASHING, DRY CLEANING, OR GARMENT DYEING Thomas B. Walker, Kendal, England, assignor to Isaac Braithwaite & Son Engineers Limited, Kendal, England, a body corporate of Great Britain Application March 24,1949, Serial No. 83,153' In Great Britain March 27., 1948 9 Claims. (01. 68---58) liquid, and the object of the present invention.

is to subject the articles to a flow of liquid throughthem instead of being merely immersed in the liquid and agitated as the cylinder rotates, and further to draw away the soiled or spent lire uidcontinuously and replace it by fresh liquid.

According to the invention the inner cylinder is imperiorate for a portionofv its axial length, such imperfcrate portion carrying perforated lifters provided with scoops for picking up liquid from the. annular space between the cylinder and k the casing and the remaining portion of the periphery of the cylinder being perforated to allow the escape of the liquid from the cylinder, means being provided for applying liquor to the annular space between the cylinder and the casing and for the removal of the used liquordraining from the cylinder through the perforated portion thereof. In a preferred arrangement the lifters may extend the whole'length of the inner cylinder but have the scoops extending only the length of the slots in the casing. In such arrangement both the lifter and the portion of the periphery of the cylinder beyond the slots are perforated for draining of the liquid.

The inventionis illustrated in and will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectionon line 22 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a similar section to Fig. 2 showing a modified construction of inner cylinder.

The inner cylinder A rotates within the outer cylinder casing B being. carried at one end on a trunnion b and being provided'at the other end with a ring b which is supported on two rollers (not shown). The trunnion b is driven by suitable gearing such as the grooved pulley C shown in the drawing and its direction of rotation ispreferablyreversed after a predetermined number of revolutions to. prevent the goods in the cylinder from becoming tangled.

The cylinder A is provided with a number of perforated lifters D arranged at equal angular distances apart and projecting inwards towards the axis of the cylinder and each lifter is provided with. a scoop D on each of its longitudinal edges, the scoops extending for a portion. of the length of the cylinder. The lifter D extendsfor the whole length of the cylinder as shown in Fig. 1. in which case the. scoopsD only extend for a portion. of thelengths of the liftersand at the end of. the scoopportiona'baflie plate F is fitted and is continued by the annular. ring G completely around. the. periphery of the cylinder so as to fill the annular space between the cylinder andthe casing. leaving only a running clearance.

The lifter Dmay be of approximately triangular shape in cross section with the scoops D extending outwardly. at asmall angle towards each other as shown inFig. 2. Thus whether the. cylinder A is. rotating ina clockwise or anti-clockwise direction the scoops-D will pick up the liduid from the annular space between the cylinder and casing. Alternatively as shown in Fig. 3 the lifters D may be. of truncated triangular shape and each be provided with a separate V- shaped plate- (1 carried. by :the cylinder. end- A or be otherwise securedso as to rotate: with the cylinder,the-peripheryof the cylinder A at. each edge. of the lifter being extended and curved inwards to. form extensions d which cooperate withtheplate cl to form an effective, scoopwhich operates in. either direction of rotation of the cylinder The extensions 11 also act as retainers for. the liquid picked up by the lifter.

The part A of the peripheralsurface of the cylinder A where there are no scoops D (whether the lifters D extendover. this portion or not) is perforated; the remaining part A of the peripheral surface being. unperforated.

Two tanks H and J are arranged in the lower part of the casing B, the tankI-I corresponding with the unperforated portion A of the cylinder and the tank J with. the perforated. portion. A thereof.

Communication from tank. H to the annular space. between the cylinder and casing is by the slots h and it running axially. the. full length of the tank. .The tank .J is open to the annular space without restriction. A feed pipe H is connected totank Hand. a rain pipe. J to tank J. A weir plate M'is arranged close to thering G.

The casing B is shown with a loading door B atone end but the invention is equally applicable tomachines. of the. side loading type.

Theaction of the machine is as follows:

Liquid is continuously supplied to the tank I-Lthrough. the pipe H by any suitable means and flows through the slots h and h? into the annular space below the rotating cylinder A. The scoops D pick up the liquid as the cylinder rotates and the liquid is carried round by the lifters D gradually draining through the perforations therein on to the goods in the cylinder. Part of the liquid picked up will flow immediately through the perforations of the lifters D into the inner cylinder A and part will be carried round by the. lifters and pass into the cylinder at higher levels, the size and number of perforations being preferably such that some of the liquid is. retained in the lifter until the latter reaches or has passed the highest point in its rotation.

The liquid' draining from the goods flows through perforations in the part A 'of the cyl- V inder and the perforated portion of the lifters opposite thereto into the tank J. The liquid flowing from tank H is prevented from running directly into tank J by the baffle ring G and the weir plate M and the liquid picked up by a lifteris prevented from flowing beyond the end of the scoops of the lifter by the battle plate F.

Thus as the cylinder rotates the articles therein will be subjected to a continuous flow of the liquid with which they are being washed, cleaned or dyed, and more effective washing,

cleaning or dyeing will result than when they are merely immersed in the liquid the dirt being continuously flushed from the machine as it is removed from the goods.

The perforated andv imperforate portions of the cylinder A are shown in Fig. l as being at its tion, a stationary substantially cylindrical casing mounted with the axis thereof located in a substantially horizontal position; a. substantially cylindrical drum mounted within and concentrically with said casing, the said drum being of a substantially smaller diameter than said casing so as to form an annular space between said drum and said casing, said drum, having a first cylindrical wall portion which isperforated and a second imperforate wall portion forming an extension of said first wall portion, the said second wall portion being formed with a plurality of perforated liquid lifters communicating with said annular space and. extending inwardly toward the center of said drum and extending along the length of said second wall portion, the said liquid lifters each being secured along a pair of longitudinal opposite edges thereof to said drum; scoop means connected to said drum and located in the annular space between said casing and said drum for directing liquid in said easing into said liquid lifters; means for rotating said drum; means forpermitting the insertion and removal of articles to be washed 7 between said first portion of said drum and said casing.

2. A washing machine comprising, in combination, a stationary substantially cylindrical casing mounted with the axis thereof located in a substantially horizontal position; a substantially cylindrical drum mounted within and concentrically with said casing, the said drum being of a substantially smaller diameter than said casing so as to form an annular space be tween said drum and said casing, said drum, having a first cylindrical wall portion which is perforated and a second imperforate wall portion forming an extension of said first wall portion, the said second wall portion being formed with a plurality of perforated liquid lifters communicating with said annular space and extending inwardly toward the center of said drum and extending along the length of said second wall portion, the said liquid lifters each being secured along a pair of longitudinal opposite edges thereof to said drum; a plurality of elongated, fixedly mounted scoop members located along said 1on gitudinal edges of said water lifters, overlying a portion of said liquid lifters and extending substantially across the space between said drum and said casing for directing liquid in said casing into said liquid, lifters; means for rotating said drum; means for permitting the insertion and removal of articles to be washed into and out of said drum; means for continually supplying washing liquid to the space between said second portion of said drum and said casing, so that said liquid may flow into said drum through said perforated liquid lifters and out of said drum through said perforated first portion thereof; and means for continually draining said washing liquid from the space between said first portion of said drum and said casing.

3. A washing machine comprising, in combination, a stationary substantially cylindrical casing mounted with the axis thereof located in a substantially horizontal position; a substantially cylindrical drum mounted within and concentrically with said casing, the said drum being of a substantially smaller diameter than said casing so as to form an annular space between said drum and said casing, said drum, having a first cylindrical wall portion which is perforated and a second imperforate wall portion forming an extension of said first wall portion, the said second Wall portion being formed with a plurality of perforated liquid lifters communicating with said annular space and extendin inwardly toward the center of said drum and extending along the length of said second wall portion, the said liquid lifters each being secured along a pair of longitudinal opposite edges thereof to said drum; a plurality of elongated, fixedly mounted scoop members located along said longitudinal edges of said water lifters, overlyinga portion of said liquid lifters and extending substantially across the space between said drum and said casin for directing liquid in said easing into said liquid lifters; an annular baflle member fixed to said drum along the line where said first wall portion joins said second wall portion and extending substantially across the space between said drum and said casing; means for rotating said drum; means for permitting the insertion and removal of articles to be washed into and out of said drum; means for continually supplying washing liquid to the space between said second portion of said drum and said casing, so that said liquid may flow into said drum through said perforated acagovo liqui'dlifters andout '01 saiddrum through said perforated first portion thereof; and means for continually draining said washing liquid from the space betweensaid first portion ofJsaid drumand said casing.

4. A washing machine comprising, in combination, astationary substantially cylindrical casing mounted with the axis thereof located in a substantially horizontal position; a substantially cylindrical drum mounted within and concentrically with said casing, the said drum being of a substantially smaller diameter than said casing so as to form an annular space between said drum and said casing, said drum, having a first cylin- 'drical wall portion which is perforated and a second imperforate wall portion forming an ex- '-tension of said first wall portion, the-said second wall portion bein formed with a plurality of perforated liquid lifters communicating with said annular space and extending inwardlytoward the center of said driun and extending along the length of said second wall portion, the said liquid lifters each being secured along a pair of longitudinal opposite edges thereof to said drum; a

plurality of elongated, fixedly mounted scoop members located along saidlongitudinal edges of said water lifters, overlying a portion of said liquid lifters and extending substantially across the space between said drum and said casing for drum and said casing, said last-mentioned means comprising a first tank mounted beneath said casing at the portion thereof which overlies said second portion of said drumand a supply pipe for supplying washing liquid to said first tank,

said casing being formed'with openings passing therethrough and communicating with said first tank whereby the liquid in said first tank may flow to the space between said casing and said second portion or" said drum and so that said liquid may fiow into said drum through said perforated liquid lifters and out of said drum through said perforated first portion and thereof; and means for continually draining said washing liquid from the space between said first portion of said drum and said casing, said lastmentioned means comprising a second tank located adjacent to said first tank and mounted beneath that portion of said casing which overlie said first portion of said drum, said casing being Iormed with an opening therein which communicates with said second tank so as to permit the water in said space between said casing and said first portion of said drum to fiow into said second tank, and a drain pipe connected to said second tank for drawing off the water therefrom.

5. A washing machine comprising, in combination, a stationary substantially cylindrical casing mounted with the axis thereof located in a substantially horizontal position; a substantially cylindrical drum mounted within and concentrically with said casing, thesaid drum being of a substantially smaller diameter than said casing so as to form an annular space between said drum and said casing, said drum, having a first said annular space and extending inwardly toward the center of said drum and extending along the length of said second wall portion, the said liquid lifters each being secured along a pair of longitudinal opposite edges thereof to said drum; a plurality of elongated, fixedly mounted scoop members located along said longitudinal edges of said water lifters, overlying a portion of said liquid lifters and extending substantially across the space between said drum and said casing for directing liquid in said casing into said liquid lifter; an annular baiile member fixed to said drum along the line where said first wall portion joins said second wall portion and extending substantially across the space between said drum and said casing; ineans -for rotating said drum; means for permitting the insertion and removal of articles to be washed into and out of said drum; means for continually supplying washing liquid to the space between said second portion of said drum and said casing, said last-mentioned means comprising a first tank mounted beneath said casing at the portion thereof which overlies said second portion of said drum and a supply pipe for supplying washing liquid to said first tank, said casing being formed with openings passing therethrough and communicating with said first tank whereby the liquid in said first tank may flow to the space between said casing and said second portion of said drum and so that said liquid may flow into said drum. through said perforated liquid lifters and out of said drum through said perforated first portion thereof; means for continually draining said washing liquid from the space between said first portion of said drum and said casing, said last-nentioned means comprising a second tank spaced from said first tank and mounted beneath that portion of said casing which overlies said first portion of said drum, said casing being formed with an opening therein which communicates with said second tank so as to permit the water in said space between said casing and said first portion of said drum 'cally with said casing, the said drum being of a substantially smaller diameter than said casing so as to form an annular space between said drum and said casing, said drum, having a first cylindrical wall portion which is perforated and a second imperforate wall portion forming an extension of said first wall portion, the said second wall portion being formed with a plurality of perforated liquid lifters communicating with said annular space and extending inwardly toward the center of said drum and extending along the length of said second wall portion, the said liquid lifters each being secured along a pair of longitudinal opposite edges thereof to said 7 drum; a plurality of scoop members fixedly connected to said longitudinal edges'of said water lifters and overlying a portion of said liquid lifters, the said scoop members being curved inwardly toward the center of said drum; a plurality of vane members connected to said drum so as to rotate therewith and located adjacent to but slightly spaced from said scoop members so as to form therewith a means for directing liquid from the space between said drum and casing into said liquid lifters; means for rotating said drum; means for permitting the insertion and removal of articles to be washed into and out of said drum; means for continually sup-plying Washing liquid tothe space between said second portion of said drum and said casing, so that said liquid may flow into said drum through said perforated liquid-lifters and out of said drum through said perforated first portion thereof; and means for continually draining said washing liquid from the space between said first portion of said drum and said casing. a

7. A washing machine comprising, in combination, a stationary substantially cylindrical casing mounted with the axis thereof located in a substantially horizontal position; a substantially cylindrical drum mounted within and concentrically with said casing, the said drum being of a substantially smaller diameter than said casing so as to form an annular space between said drum and said casing, said drum, having a first cylindrical wall portion which is perforated and a second imperforate wall portion forming an extension of said first wall portion, the said secondwall portion being formed with a plurality of perforated liquid lifters communicating with said annular space and extendinginwardly toward the center of said drum and extending along the length of said second wall portion, the said liquid lifters each being secured along a pair of longitudinal opposite edges thereof to said drum; a plurality of scoop members fixedly connected to said longitudinal edges of said water lifters and overlying a portion of said liquid lifters, the said scoop members being curved inwardly toward the center of said drum; a plurality of vane members connected to said drum so as to rotate therewith and located adjacent to but slightly spaced from said scoop members so as to form therewith a means for directing liquid from the space between said drum and casing into said liquid lifters; an annular balile member fixed to said drum along the line where said first wall portion joins said second wall portion and extending substantially across the space between said drum and said casing; means for ,rotating said drum; means for permitting the insertion and removal of articles to be washed into and out of said drum; means for continually supplying washing liquid to the space between said second portion of said drum and said casing, so that said liquid may flow into said drum through said perforated liquid lifters and out of said drum through said perforated first portion thereof; and means for continually draining said washing liquid from the space between said first portion of said drum and said casing.

8. A washing machine comprising, in combination, a stationary substantially cylindrical casing mounted with'the axis thereof located in a substantially horizontal position; a substantially cylindrical drum mounted within and concentrically with said casing, the said drum being of a substantially smaller diameter than said casing T8 so as to form an annular space betweeen said drum and said casing, said drum, having a first cylindrical wall portion which is perforated and a second imperforate wall portion forming an extension of said first wall portion, the said second wall portion being formed with a plurality of perforated liquid lifters communicating with said annular space and extending inwardly toward the center of said drum and extending along the length of said second wall'portion, the-saidliquid lifters each being secured along a pair of longitudinal opposite edges thereof to said drum; a plurality of scoop members fixedly connected to said longitudinal edges of said water lifters and overlying a portion of said liquid lifters, the said scoop members being curved inwardly toward the center of said drum; a plurality of vane members connected to said drum so as to rotate therewith and located adjacent to but slightly spaced from said scoop members so as to form therewith a means for directing liquid from the space between said drum and casing into said liquid lifters; an annular baflle member fixed to said drum along the line where said first wall portion joins said second wall portion and extending substantially across the space between said drum and said casing; means for rotating said drum; means for permitting the insertion and removal of articles to be washed into and out of said drum; means for continually supplying washing liquid to the space between said second portionof said drum and said casing, said last-mentioned means comprising a first tank mounted beneath said casing at the portion thereof which overlies said second portion of said drum and a supply pipe for supplying washing liquid to said first tank, said casing being formed with openings passing therethrough and communicating with said first tank whereby the liquid in said first tank may fiowto the space between said casingand said second portion of said drum and so that said liquid may fiow into said drum through said perforated liquid lifters and out of said drum through said perforated first portion thereof; and means for continually draining said washing liquid from the space between said first portion of said drum and said casing, said lastmentioned means comprising a second tank located adjacent to said first tank and mounted beneath that portion of said casing which overlies said first portion of said drum, said casing being formed with an opening therein which communicates with said second tank so as to permit the water in said space between said casing and said first portion of said drum to flow into said second tank, and a drain pipe connected to said second tank for drawing off the water therefrom.

9. A washing machine comprising, in combination, a stationary substantially cylindrical casing mounted with the axis thereof located in a substantially horizontal position; a substantially cylindrical drum mounted within .and concentrically with said casing, the said drum being of a substantially smaller diameter than 'said casing so as to form an annular space between said drum and said casing, said drum, having a first cylindrical wall portion which is perforated and a second imperforate wall portion forming an extension of said first wall portion, the said second wallportion being formed with a plurality of perforated liquid lifters communicating with said annular space andextending intending along the length of said second wall portion, the said liquid lifters each being secured along a pair of longitudinal opposite edges thereof to said drum; a plurality of scoop members fixedly connected to said longitudinal edges of said water lifters and overlying a portion of said liquid lifters, the said scoop members being curved inwardly toward the center of said drum; a plurality of vane members connected to said drum so as to rotate therewith and located ad- J'acent to but slightly spaced from said scoop members so as to form therewith a means for directing fluid from the space between said drum and easing into said liquid lifters; an annular bafile member fixed to said drum along the line where said first wall portion joins said second wall portion and extending substantially across the space between said drum and said casing; means for rotating said drum; means for permitting the insertion and removal of articles to be washed into and out of said drum; means for continually supplying washing liquid to the space between said second portion of said drum and said casing, said last-mentioned means comprising a first tank mounted beneath said casing at the portion thereof which overlies said second portion of said drum and a supply pipe for supplying washing liquid to said first tank, said casing being formed with openings passing therethrough and communicating with said first tank whereby the liquid in said first tank may flow to the space between said casing and said second portion of said drum and so that said liquid may flow into said drum through said perforated liquid lifters and out of said drum through said perforated first portion thereof; means for continually draining said washing liquid from the space between said first portion of said drum and said casing, said last-mentioned means comprising a second tank spaced from said first tank and mounted beneath that portion of said casing which overlies said first portion of said drum, said casing being formed with an opening therein which communicates with said second tank so as to permit the water in said space between said casing and said first portion of said drum to flow into said second tank, and a drain pipe connected to said second tank for drawing ofi the water therefrom; and weir means mounted in said casing along and upward of a wall of said second tank for deterring the flow of said washing liquid directly from said first tank into said second tank.

THOS. B. WALKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 329,418 Tuttle Oct. 27, 1885 351,062 Mathews Oct. 19, 1886 1,121,837 Howard Dec. 22, 1914 2,437,179 Wheeler Mar. 2, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,164 Great Britain June 2'7, 

